


If You're Lonely, Come Be Lonely With Me

by thegreatestsun



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: 90s Kon-El | Conner Kent, Beaches, Fluff, Kon-El | Conner Kent Needs a Hug, Kon-El | Conner Kent is Superboy, Loneliness, M/M, Ocean, Summer, Sunsets, Swimming, Tim Drake is Red Robin, like seriously he's kinda emo at the beginning, punk design kon is ELITE sorry, the author misses summer, this is AWFUL to tag wow, this is a nightmare to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27313414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatestsun/pseuds/thegreatestsun
Summary: For as long as he could remember, Kon-El had been lonely.Lonely people. He often wondered where they weren't.---Tim and Kon watch the sunset at the beach.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Kon-El | Conner Kent
Comments: 22
Kudos: 124





	If You're Lonely, Come Be Lonely With Me

**Author's Note:**

> hi welcome to another installment of "weirdly poetic impulse writes" by Aemilius
> 
> (title is taken from "This Side Of Paradise" by Coyote Theory because i was playing that on repeat whilst writing this)

For as long as he could remember, Kon-El had been lonely.

From the fluorescent lights of Cadmus Labs, to the wet, empty streets of Metropolis on a rainy night, to the soft sunsets and sand of a Hawaii evening at the beach, even surrounded by people he thought were friends, Kon had felt isolated. The world was a wide, open sky, and he was nothing but a small star caught in the empty blackness of it all.

Tim was one of those lonely people. But he and Kon were very different – whilst Kon let himself drift in the vast ocean that was real life, catching a ride and the sun where he could, alive but never content – Tim didn’t allow himself to drift. He couldn’t let himself. No, Tim had collected driftwood and leaves and all sorts of things to make a boat, and he simply _had_ to steer it. It was where he felt safe.

It wasn’t a loneliness that could be chased down with people, Kon had learnt that the hard way. Sure, laughing with Bart, sparring with Cassie, flying with Jon, absolutely _destroying_ Clark and Lois at boardgames – the loneliness crept back, but it was never gone. Maybe that was Kon’s fault.

Whilst Kon was unsatisfied but complacent with his lot in life, Tim simply refused to be. It was making Kon look bad.

Lonely people. He often wondered where they weren’t.

They weren’t anywhere, really. Nowhere Kon could remember the name of, nowhere Tim really thought mattered. Batman and Superman had taken them on a mission, they’d fought all that they needed to, and as the mission turned into more diplomacy than asskicking, Kon and Tim had been told to go down to the beach and wait. All that Kon really cared about was that there was a beach with soft sand, a clear sky, and Tim was eyeing the water wistfully as he traced patterns in the sand.

Kon’s jacket stuck to his arms, in the soft warmth of the humid air. They were still in uniform, spandex and leather keeping them too-warm in the heat. There was sand in his curls and the sky was the strange shade of almost-dark blue that happened right before a sunset. Kon was spread out on the sand, just soaking the day and the place and the world up, like a flower with the sun, and Tim was sat next to him, relaxing slowly, hesitantly unfurling like a particularly shy flower blooming.

His red and black gauntlets left weird ridges in his sand patterns. A few grains were still attached to his hands, and Kon could hardly tear his eyes away. A spot of imperfection that was the pillar of precision Tim Drake. He was pretty, that way. The same way a chip on a statue’s intricately carved face made it more interesting. The same way Kon liked the flowers that were slightly wilted the most. He related to them more. Was that weird? It was probably weird.

For someone who simply refused to admit they were lonely, Tim sure was bad at relaxing around his best friend.

The soft wash of waves crashing against the shore, and the rustle of trees in the near non-existent wind were almost inseparable from each other. Kon let his head roll to the side, sand rough against his cheek, his piercings probably making little indents as he looked up at Tim. Tim only had eyes for the water though, and his eyes glimmered molten gold in the sun as it dipped lower into the sky, washing the world in Kon’s favourite colour.

“We could go in, if you want.” Kon whispered, his voice almost lost under the quiet roar of the world around them. Tim blinked a little, as if he were coming out of a trance, and he looked down at Kon like he was genuinely considering it.

“We’d get soaked.” Tim said evenly. He wasn’t arguing, Tim never started arguments. He waited to see if _you’d_ do it. Arguments took anger, and that was too precious to Tim to just give away like others did. Kon had only seen Tim angry a handful of times – annoyed, almost constantly, irritated, a lot, but genuine fury? He’d only witnessed it a few times. And it was one of those many times he was reminded that Tim Drake was very, very, human.

Kon didn’t get angry often. He didn’t like what it meant. For him, at least.

“I know, we absolutely would,” Kon promised. “but it’d be fun.” He kept his eyes trained on Tim’s face, and he could almost _see_ the gears turning in his head, behind those eyes.

What Kon had said about the soft gold of the sun nearly setting being his favourite colour, he was definitely wrong. He liked blue.

Abruptly, Tim stood up, and started fiddling with his cape. Kon half dragged himself up with his TTK, and half by flying. He grinned as he realised Tim had accepted it, he responded in kind by yanking off his own jacket, and taking off his glasses and folding them neatly.

They left their cape and jacket, respectively, in a loose pile on the beach, before Tim was grinning at him, eyes _sparkling_ with challenge, daring him to race him down the sands and into the water. Tim was so competitive, he _had_ to be doing something, and doing it right. Proving himself to be the best, the best alone. It was something Kon probably shouldn’t have adored, but it was part of Tim, so, of course he did.

Tim shrieked when Kon grabbed his arm and started dragging him towards the water, trying his best to look annoyed, but his laughter forced his grin back onto his face. And besides, his eyes gave it away. Tim always smiled with his eyes. He had these subtle, almost invisible creases next to his eyes from all the eye-smiling.

“ _Shit_ , our boots!” Tim cried, as they hit the water, and a wave tried to make their knees buckle. Sea spray had already caught in his hair, somehow, water sparkling citrine in his dark locks.

“At least you won’t step on something with them on!” Kon argued, releasing Tim and daring to laugh as loudly as he wanted when he waded in further, and a wave caught him around the waist. Tim’s hand caught around his arm, Tim’s head on his shoulder, Tim’s laughter ringing in his ears, and Kon’s heart flew up to his throat.

He suddenly understood where all that sunlight that he soaked up like a sponge went. It was burning in his chest like a miniature star.

The sun was dipping low in the horizon now, the sky painted any colour Kon could imagine, but a soft pink light spread out across the beach, staining the crests of the waves around them rose.

“ _Woah_ ,” Tim muttered, sliding one hand around Kon’s waist, under the water, probably in order to ground himself. They were up to their chests now, and Kon could feel the waves pulling at him, and the pressure of the water holding him down. He’d missed this, _fuck_ , he’d missed this. Hawaii hadn’t been great for him, but it was _home_ , once. “don’t get sunsets like this in Gotham.”  
  


“You _get_ sunsets in Gotham? Thought the smog had…” he trailed off as he turned his head to look at Tim properly, and he forgot whatever useless thing he’d been saying. What was more important right now was the way Tim looked. Bathed head to toe in gold and pink and the red of his now soaking Red Robin uniform standing out like a firework against the night sky.

Whatever Kon had thought about blue and gold and any other colour – he was changing his mind again. Red. That was definitely his favourite colour.

Tim seemingly had been paying attention, because he turned his head to look at Kon. “Thought the smog had…?” he echoed, tilting his head. _Continue then, Kon_.

“…Sky.” Kon managed to whisper. “Uh! The sky, thought the smog had blocked out the sky.” He said quickly, and he said it too fast, and it was dumb, but because Tim was wonderful, beautiful, amazing, he laughed. It was a little awkward, a little stilted. A little unused.

“Yeah, it pretty much has.” He responded, turning back to the show the sun and sky was putting on for them, stepping slightly closer to Kon until his shoulder was bumping his.

…For two lonely people, they were awfully close.

“I bet you used to get sunsets like this all the time in Hawaii.” Tim continued; his voice soft. Like he was remembering Hawaii _for_ Kon.

“You get pretty decent ones in Metropolis too.” Kon added, distracted by the water droplets on Tim’s eyelashes. When did those get there? And how did Tim manage to make water look like diamonds?

Suddenly the gentle hand on his waist slipped into his hand, and Tim was dragging him forward. “Come on, let’s get closer!” he was calling, and this was Tim offering him something. The fingers tangled with his own were Tim’s way of holding his hand out. No maybes or pleases, it was always yes or no with Tim Drake.

Kon stepped forward, feeling his grin pull at his mouth without his permission. “We’re gonna end up underwater, dude!”

“We’re already wet, might as well!” Tim announced, his laugh abruptly cut off by a wave hitting him in the neck, the excess water from the splash catching him in the mouth. Kon replaced the laughter in the air for him.

As their feet started to leave the sandy floor, Kon decided to cheat a little bit. He wrapped one arm around Tim, and flew a little, carrying Tim with his telekinesis. Tim took the opportunity – or Kon was imagining things – to press himself a little closer to Kon.

Sunsets were short, Kon knew that, but this one was seemingly waiting for them. The sun was drooping now, a sliver of gold against an explosion of reds and oranges and golds, streaking the rest of the sky pink and purple. If Kon looked back over to their stuff, he’d be sure he could glimpse stars in the deep azure that part of the sky was now.

For a lonely person, Kon sure didn’t feel very alone as he held onto Tim, and watched the sun set.

He felt eyes on him, and dared to turn his head, to see Tim staring openly at him.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Kon joked, trying to tear his eyes away from how the sun cast golden shadows over Tim’s face, and failing miserably.

Somehow, they moved, and Tim was holding onto Kon’s shoulders, and both of Kon’s hands were on Tim’s waist now. Tim blinked a little, like he was surprised, and he offered Kon another real, rare grin. Not that they were very rare, this evening at least.

“I already have.” He confessed; his voice low like he was telling a secret. Like he didn’t mind Kon hearing as long as he knew it’d be carried away with the breeze and the tide. “You – I’ve got hundreds of you. You’re kinda perfect for candid photos, y’know?”

“Kinda wish I could take a picture of you. Right now.” And it was out of his mouth before he could stop it, and he knew whatever happy, sunsoaked and sea salt bubble they were in right now, would burst like he’d punched right through it –

But instead Tim’s eyes widened, and he was pulling himself up a little more, and then his mouth was next to Kon’s ear –

“Think fast,” he whispered, and before he knew what was happening, Kon was under the water, silvery bubbles gilded by the sun around him, the sapphire sky sparkling above him, and Tim Drake. Lips found his, and Kon was strangely reminded of some old fairy-tale or legend, something about mermaids.

Not many people could say Tim Drake kissed them breathless underwater in what felt like paradise. Kon, surprisingly, could.

They resurfaced in a mess of wet hair in their eyes, saltwater and laughter in their mouths. It was awkward and messy as Kon put his hand on Tim’s jaw, and kissed him again. He wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

They eventually did break apart, splashing each other as they waded back to their stuff. And when Tim tackled him to the sand under a starry sky and kissed him like Kon was the only thing on his mind, whispered “I think I love you,” to him, Kon could only think that maybe he was still a little lonely in his heart, and maybe Tim was too, because it wasn’t just a lonely that could be chased down with people. But they could be lonely together, and make it a little better.

And once Batman and Superman did come and pick them up, they only raised their eyebrows at the sandy jacket and cape, their hair now stiff with salt, and the unexplained grins, and said nothing more.

For two lonely people, Tim and Kon weren’t very alone when they were with each other.

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading, drop a kudos and/or a comment if you liked it <3


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